Kazakhstan | CultureReady

Currency: Kazakhstani tenge

Government: Presidential republic

Nationality: Kazakhstani

Capital: Nur-Sultan

Ethnic Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated to the region by the 13th century, were rarely united as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th century, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. Soviet policies reduced the number of ethnic Kazakhs in the 1930s and enabled non-ethnic Kazakhs to outnumber natives. During the 1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures. This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other deported nationalities) further skewed the ethnic mixture. Non-Muslim ethnic minorities departed Kazakhstan in large numbers from the mid-1990s through the mid-2000s and a national program has repatriated about a million ethnic Kazakhs back to Kazakhstan. These trends have allowed Kazakhs to become the titular majority again.

Fascinating Fact(s):

Kazakhstan translates to as “Land of the Wanderers.”
The first domesticated horses in the world were domesticated and ridden by Kazakhstanis.
If you whistle inside a building, Kazakhstanis believe that will cause you to be poor for life.
Kazakhstan has the world’s first and largest space launch facility.

Religion and Ethnic Groups:

Kazakh (Qazaq) 68%, Russian 19.3%, Uzbek 3.2%, Ukrainian 1.5%, Uighur 1.5%, Tatar 1.1%, German 1%, other 4.4%
Muslim 70.2%, Christian 26.2% (majority is Russian Orthodox), other 0.2%, atheist 2.8%, unspecified 0.5%

Cultural Do’s and Don’ts:

Greetings

Greetings are formal in Kazakhstan. Men will greet each other by shaking hands. Typically, the younger of the two men will initiate the handshake by extending both hands, which is seen as a sign of respect.
Usually, men and women will not shake hands when greeting each other. If you’re a man, follow the woman’s lead.
Unless they know one another, people do not smile at each other in public.
Close friends of the same sex may greet each other less formally by hugging instead of shaking hands.

General social etiquette

When entering someone’s home, remove your shoes. If you’re a guest, the host may provide slippers to wear inside.
In public, close friends of the same sex may hold hands, link arms, hug, and kiss each other on the cheek.
Punctuality is not very important. However, it’s common courtesy to let the person you’re meeting know if you will be more than half an hour late.
In mosques, women have a separate room to practice their rituals.
You should dress conservatively and more on the formal side. Dressing casually is seen as offensive, especially when you’re an invited guest in someone’s home.
Hospitality is important in Kazakhstan, so it’s common to be invited to someone’s home. Guests can bring a small gift to their host, such as pastries and other sweets. Alcohol should only be given as a gift if you know the host drinks.
Gifts will be opened as soon as they are received.

Eating

Bread is sacred, so being served bread is an honor and a sign of respect.
If you’re served tea, expect your host to only fill your cup halfway. If it’s filled all the way, this is a sign that they would like you to leave.
Dinner parties are a long, social events. The host will serve the guests.
Table manners are not very formal. When eating with utensils, you should hold your fork in your left hand and your knife in your right. However, some foods are meant to be eaten with your hands.
When you’re done eating, leave some food on your plate. Otherwise, it’s seen as a sign that you’re still hungry. When you’ve had enough to drink, place the bowl you were drinking from upside down.
In rural areas, a boiled sheep’s head is presented to the guest of honor who will divide it among the rest of the guests.

Getting around and ease of travel

Taxis are available in all cities but watch out for unlicensed individuals acting as a taxi service. Hired cars are also available at airports and in Almaty and Nur-Sultan. You also have the option to rent your own car, but you’ll need an international driving permit.

There are extensive road systems throughout Kazakhstan that connect the different cities. However, the roads are not well maintained and may be dangerous, especially during winter.

Rail travel and bus travel are available for trips between cities. Trains are affordable but be prepared to bring your own food and drink and expect to wait in long lines at the ticket counter. Additionally, robberies on trains have increased, so bus travel may be the safer option.

Almaty has buses, a metro system, and trolleybuses available for travel within the city.